George t



(No Model.) Ge-T. CHAPMAN.

HOOP EXPANDER.

No. 446,828. Patented Feb. 17,1891.

INVENTUR:

WITNESSES:

WASNINGYON, u. 1:.

m5 "cams PEYERS co., wot

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, OF .IVHITE PLAINS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-l-IALF TO \Vhl. HARVEY MERRITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HOOF-EXPANDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,828, dated February 17, 1891.

I Application filed March 19,1890- Serial No. 344,454. (No model.)

To all whom; it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of White Plains, in the coun tyof Vestchester and State of New York, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Hoof-Expanders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved implement for expanding the heels of horses hoofs and holding them in the expanded condition while nailing on the shoes to enable the shoes to be utilized for effecting permanent expansion of the heels, as hereinafter fully described, reference being made to the I 5 accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a shod hoof and my improved expanding implement as in use for holding the hoof in the expanded condition until the shoe is secured. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the implement on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a plan View, also enlarged.

I provide a fiat metal bar at, having a prong b projecting at one end at right an- 2 5 gles from one side, also having the screwtapped lug c projecting from the opposite side near the middle, and also having the slot d extending from the lug c to the end opposite the one having the prong b, and in this 0 slot- I arrange the movable prong to slide freely toward and from the permanent prong b and connect it with the adjusting-screw f, which I fit in the screw-tapped lug c for shift; ing said movable prong with a powerful cf- 3 5 feet by turning the screw with a wrench or key ofapproved form applied to the rectangular shank of the screw.

To connect the movable prong c with the bar a and with the screw, I have in this ex- 0 ample made it about double the length necessary for the prong with notches g, one in each edge, about the middleof its length, to receive the two members of the slotted portion of bar a andslidc along them, and with a 5 lengthwise slot h in the part extending above or back of the plate, adapted to receive the screw f between two collars i on it, to bear against the respective sides of and force said prong forward and backward along the bar according as the screw is turned one way or the other.

In putting the parts together the screw is first placed in the slot of the back extension of prong e. The screw is then presented to the nut and the notches g of the prong presented to the ends of the two members of the slotted part of plate a,-which enter said notches as the screw enters the tapped lug. When the screw has entered the lug far enough to draw the movable prong fairly onto the end of the bar, said prong is efiectually secured in its position on the bar without any special means of fastening the parts together, which are all separate pieces, and thusthe contrivance is such as to facilitate the construction cheaply.

Theprongs are pointed to facilitate entering the clefts in the heel of the hoof, as 1nd1 cated in Fig. 1, and they are preferably so pointed by tapering them all on one side, as shown best in Fig. 2, and they are also preferably bent, so as to project from each other, as best shown at the left hand of Fig. 3. The

prongs may, however, be pointed centrally,

and will serve well if not pointed, and I do not limit myself in this respect.

The construction and mode of connecting the bar, movable prong, and adjusting-screw may be varied of course, and I do not limit myself to the particulararrangements shown.

I claim as my invention- The combination, with the bar having the prong b at one end, the slot in the opposite end portion, and the screw-tapped lug on one side, of the movable prong having the notches 8 5 for receiving the members of the slotted bar, and the notch in the end opposite the prong for the adjustingscrew, also the adjustingscrew, said screw having the collars embracing the sides of the movable prong, all substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, 1n presence of two witnesses, this 13th day of lllarch, 1890.

' GEO. 'r. CHAPMAN.

\Vitnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, W. B. EARLL. 

